Jellicle Cats, Come One, Come All
by KitsuneClouds
Summary: Nightshade is a relatively new queen who's fallen in love with the silver protector. Kallow is a starving cat with an abusive past who's afraid of being part of a tribe. Written as a roleplay, very romantic and sweet
1. Chapter 1

**Jellicle Cats, Come One, Come All**

**Disclaimer:** We do not own Cats or any characters therein except for Nightshade and Kallow.

**A/N:** So this is a roleplay I did with someone online. Nightshade is mine in Italics and Kallow is hers in bold.

Also it hasn't really been edited. I made a few spelling or grammar changes while I was compiling the whole thing but there's probably some errors still.

Nightshade is basically an inverted tabby, black with white stripes. She also has white around her eyes and on all four paws. Kallow is a grey-based calico (blends of orange, brown, grey and white. Like Jemima or Demeter but grey).

**It was a bright and airy morning when Munkustrap woke, birds singing shrill songs. He stretched awake his weary muscles and yawned mightily. He made his way easily out of the cab of the car, coming to sit on its trunk. He was well awake before any of the other, the sky still pink with the rising sun. Stretching again he clambered down the side of the car and stood surveying the area for several minutes. He scented the air to find only the familiar scents of fellow cats, rust, and rubbish. The leanly musceled cat would first do a grounds check, mark the territory, and then he would see to breakfast. The ball was only a few days away and he was electrified with excitement.****-****Kallow slept in the hollow of an old mattress, her hands wrapped about herself content and warm. She woke up with the familiar sense of uncertainty, after her time spent with Macavity every morning she had to remind herself that she was once more safe. Her grey base coat clung to her thin and frail from as she had yet to put an appropriate amount of weight on, never having quite enough when she was a kit, starved, beaten, and in other ways brutalized by the evil cat there after. But now things seemed brighter, although she wasn't a Jellicle she stayed within the confines of their territory for the protection it offered.**

_Nightshade stretched and yawn as she awoke with the sun. She shook her head to awaken her mind and stood, stretching once more before walking through the comfort of her den. She smiled to herself, remembering that the Ball was only a few days away. But her smile fell as she remembered that, once again, she would not have a date. Resisting a sigh of disappointment, she set out to hunt her breakfast. _

_She came upon a group of mice huddled in an old, broken stove. She slunk down to the ground, quiet as a leaf, and slowly crawled towards them. She jumped up, blocking their exit. She caught the group easily, using each of her claws to strike each mouse. She carried them back to her den and began enjoying her breakfast, sighing happily. At least her hunting skills had stayed with her through her and her brother's hardships._

_Tumblebrutus grinned at his younger brother, Pouncival, as they prepared their newest scheme. Pouncival crept silently to his hiding place behind old packing boxes and nodded to the older tom. Tumble slunk quietly on the ground before launching behind his prey, yelling out a battle cry and pouncing. The prey in question was a young queen by the name of Etcetera, who squealed at the top of her lungs as she was tackled. _

_"I'll save you!" Pounce cried, launching out of his hiding place and tackling his brother. He pretended to kick the older tom in the stomach, wrapping his arms around the tabby queen and pulling her to safety. Tumble winked subtly before slinking away._

_"What was that?!" Etcy cried._

_"I, uh... saved you..?" Pounce offered._

_Etcy beamed happily. "You did! Oh, I could have been hurt if you hadn't come!" With that, she wrapped the tom in a squeezing hug before scampering off to play with her sister._

_Tumble sauntered back with a grin on his brown-and-white face. "Did it work?"_

_"Well, she thinks I'm a hero," Pounce laughed. "But she ran off before I could ask her."_

_"We'll have to try again," Tumble decided._

_"You know, you don't have a date for the Ball, either. Who do you want to go with?" Pounce asked his brother as they walked back to their home._

_"I don't know," Tumble replied honestly. "I haven't found the right queen yet."_

**The perimeter seemed secure enough, the walls of the yard still bore his scent markings and the signs of the Jellicle tribe, clear signs to all other cats and even the roving dog that this land belonged to the tribe which followed Old Deuteronomy. He walked with an easy grace on the fence peering into the land beyond his home. It seemed so distant, remote, full of potential, yet dangers as well. It gave the silver tom a swell of pride to know that in his father's absence that protectorate of the clan fell to him. Stretching once he set off to find breakfast, he was lean, nimble and fast, so it came as little surprise when he found himself a quiet place to pluck his fresh caught pigeon. After his hearty breakfast and a quick wash he went to work checking on all of the cats under his care.****-****When Kallow did emerge from her place of hiding it was with a slow apprehension. She scurried from one hiding place to the next trying to remain hidden. Kallow had been in Jellicle territory only a short time, having escaped her captor and sought out the place her mother had told her as a kitten was safe. A half empty, discarded can of tuna served as a quick meal before she went in search of more, her stomach painfully reminding her that yesterday she had not had enough to eat.**

_Nightshade decided to roam the Junkyard, perhaps seek out a date for the Ball. She saw that Munkustrap had left his post, presumably to venture through the Yard and check on various Jellicle families. She stole his usual spot, sprawling out along the trunk of the old car, bathing in the sun. She smiled to herself - sunbathing was one of her favorite past times. And so far, all had been peaceful in the Junkyard, so she was able to relax in peace._

_"Well," Tumble began, "if no one needs us around the Junkyard, why don't we go explore? I saw some humans unloading more junk in that alley down the street - we could go see if there's more stuff for us to collect."_

_"That sounds awesome!" Pounce agreed. He followed his older brother out of the Yard and down the road, careful to stay in the shadows to avoid Pollicle suspicion. The two were quite talented at staying out of sight, but if they were ever caught... They'd need a lot of help._

_"Let's look in that box over there," Tumble suggested. He stepped on an old milk crate and peered down into the box, startled to find what appeared to be a starving queen._

_"I don't mean to startle you," he insisted. "I was just exploring, but... are you alright, miss? You look hurt... Maybe you should come with us, we know cats who can help you."_

_"What's going on, Tumble?" Pounce inquired, climbing up beside his brother. "Woah! Is she okay?"_

**The elders were all well fed and dozing in the bright summer sun, Munkustrap had seen to it personally. Then he went to check on a queen rumored to have a new litter, secretly he prayed that she had not been a victim of his brother's flamboyant lifestyle, but one look at the small mewling brood game him confidence their mother white, could not have had three siamese points by Tugger. He wished her well, inspected the kittens as a good guardian would do and even found for her a nice fat finch. He only hoped the relief on his face was not too obvious or offensive to the first time mother. After a few more rounds about the yard and a brief scolding or two reserved for the trouble making calico twins or Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser he ventured back to his nook with the yard.****He had claimed for himself an old car, slept within it's cab where other cats had den or make homes among the boxes and the like. He favored this car because it was central of everything, not to mention the trunk became pleasurably warm in the day. So comfortable was he with his home and surroundingd that he leaped up without looking. He landed awkwardly sprawled over a dozing queen, his legs still dangling. He slipped and trying to catch his balance took the reversed tabby by the waist and brought her tumbling down a top him. The silver tom blushed profusely as he sat up scratching his head. "Nightshade!" he said with a laugh, he loved the queen but had never the courage to tell her. "I, uh I'm um, so, so sorry!" he fumbled. "I should really look before leap huh?"****  
**

**Karrow rummaged through many more boxes all morning looking for bits and scraps which would sustain her, took weak and sickly to hunt. She had just begun to rifle through a box of packing papers when she was surprised by a brown and white tom who was a good deal larger and healthier than she. The next few moments were full of terrified and un-ladylike hissing and yowls as she pressed herself firmly to one corner waiting of attack. The tom however seemed just as startled, but was more curious than anything else. She glared at him defiantly when he asked her if she was alright. "Well enough to defend myself!" she hissed trying to sound tough, it was of course a lie if she couldn't hunt how could she hold her own against any cat let alone this well fed tom?****Soon another male joined him and Karrow flattened her ears and huddled tighter in her corner. Tears were beginning to prick at her eyes as she realized she had no hope of fighting her way out. The first male suggested getting her to help, she wasn't sure she trusted him or much liked the idea of going anywhere with either of them, so she stayed quiet, and still.**

_"Munkustrap!' Nightshade exclaimed in return. She was thankful for having mostly black fur on her face, as she felt her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have fallen asleep here."_

_She untangled herself from his strong- and wonderfully muscled- arms, moving to stand up. She stared at the floor, thinking of how much her attraction to the silver tabby had grown in the previous months. _

_"I should.. I should go," she said awkwardly, dismissing herself. She made her way back to her den and dug out the old human books that the notorious duo had stolen for her. She was soon lost in the world of mystery and magic._

_"We didn't mean to offend you," Tumble offered honestly. "Have you heard of the Jellicles?"_

_"Or Old Deuteronomy?" Pounce added. "We live with them. They could help you if you're in any kind of trouble."_

_"Not that you __need__ help, Miss..." Tumble insisted awkwardly. He had no intention of offended the beautiful- although skinny- queen in the box. _

**"No, no, it was all my fault!" the tabby said with a sheepish grin. He had been about to quite awkwardly ask the queen to the ball when she excused herself and hurried back to her den. Munk watched her go with a forlorn sigh. "Ouch!" Called a dreadfully familiar voice. Soon Rum Tum Tugger was sliding down the back of the car, off the trunk and landing on the ground beside his older sibling. "I saw the whole thing!" "Go away!" Munk groaned with desperation as his brother hooked an arm about his shoulders. "Don't worry," the roguish tom said. "I'm here to help!" Munkustrap stood and tried to walk away, but Tugger trailed him. "Why?" the tabby lamented. "Because, it's just so sad watching you fail, time and time and time again!" The guardian pegged his brother with a glare. "I meant why me?"****-*-****Karrow began to relax when the toms seemed more interested in helping her than hurting her. She looked at them with a certain wide eyed trepidation as they spoke. "My father was a Jellicle," she stated plainly. "My mother was not. I have a half sister who knows I'm here..." she informed them, debating how much more she should say. Slowly though she unwound herself from her tight ball and began edging her way towards the opening of the box. She stopped about halfway out tail twitching slightly. "Would you mind letting me out?"**

_Nightshade sighed, tired of her loneliness. She decided to see how her best friend Rumpleteazer was doing. The inverted tabby left her den and, smiling at the guardian brothers as she left, sauntered off to find the Notorious Duo._

_She found the tabby siblings in a dumpster beneath a high-class apartment complex. She thought back to stories the duo had told her of the family who collected tons of money and owned a lot of nice, expensive objects. Apparently, wealthy humans got bored quickly, as there was a new load of barely-used items in the dumpster every week._

_"Mungo!" Nightshade called from the ground. "Teazer!"_

_The duo poked their heads out of the dumpster and grinned._

_"Nightshade!" Rumpleteazer acknowledged happily. The two queens had been friends since Nightshade and her brother first came into the tribe. _

_"Any good steals today?" the inverted tabby inquired, leaping onto a box that rested beside the dumpster._

_"Lots o' stuff!" the orange-and-black queen replied, holding up almost new Woolworth pearls in the form of a necklace. "Check this out!"_

_"Why would humans throw that out?" Nightshade wondered. "It's gorgeous!"_

_"Isn't it?" Teazer agreed. She held the necklace out to her friend and turned around. "Help me put it on!"_

_"Oh, of course!" Tumble agreed, reaching his paws into the box and gently helping the queen out of it. _

_"Who are you related to?" Pounce wondered. "Maybe we know her."_

_Tumble nodded, keeping a paw on the queen's arm until he was sure she could stand. "Let us take you to the Junkyard. We'll introduce you to Old Deuteronomy. I'm sure he'd let you stay there."_

_He began walking back to the Yard, followed by his younger brother. Pounce couldn't help but wonder who she was related to. She looked so familiar..._

**"I'm not listening to this!" Munk said continuing to try and evade his brother. "All you need to do is give 'er one of these!" He said biting his lower lip and lacing his thumbs through his belt. Mungo rolled his eyes as his brother proceeded to gyrate his pelvis and swing his hips back and forth. The silver tabby laughed at his efforts, it seemed so absurd, but it apparently worked, it just wasn't something Munkustrap would ever think of doing. His brother grabbed by the shoulder then, turning him he said, "And if that doesn't work, there's always this firepoint, I was thinking of-" Tugger stopped talking when he received a murderous glare, his hands having been tracing a curvaceous figure. "Who I wasn't thinking of at all," Tugger said in an effort to protect himself. "And if you want to hold out for Nightshade, who's stopping you?" he went on backing away.****-****Karrow accepted the tom's help out of the box but was ignoring the younger cats questions, feeling that she had said enough already. Nodding she agreed to go with them to meet this Old Deuteronomy, slipping through a hole in the chainlink fence and following them for a short ways. Without warning Karrow took off running away from the toms and the direction they were headed hurtling over broken chairs and other obstacles until she was sure she had lost them. Quickly she ducked into a broken old television set panting and trying to catch her breath as she curled up tightly once more. She was scared, they had seemed nice enough, by so had HE when first she met him as a kit, when he led her away from everything good and safe. No, it was just better to hide, and never be found by anyone, ever again.**

_Nightshade helped the mischievous queen with her antics before bidding her goodbye. "I should head back to the Yard. I've got.. things.. to do..."__  
__In truth, the inverted tabby had no plans currently. But she just felt so lonely watching her friends be happy, even if they were just brother and sister.__  
__She wandered back to the yard and curled up in an old box, hoping for a nap.__  
__***__  
__Tumble noticed a distinct lack of female companionship and rushed to turn around. "Where did she go?!" he cried.__  
__"She was right here a second ago!" Pounce noted. The brothers rushed back to the pile of chairs they had just climbed over and looked around. Tumble spotted a lump of fur and rushed over to it, hoping it was the queen in question. "What happened?" he asked. "You were right behind us. Do you not want to go?"_


	2. Chapter 2

**Something had been bothering Victoria all day, something that needed the sagely advised of another female, but she was unsure of where to turn, it felt too private a matter to discuss with just anyone. It was then that she spotted Nightshade going into her den. She smiled brightly running home to fetch a piece of fish someone had thrown out hoping that the two of them could share a light lunch while they talked. Then, looking about herself to be sure that she was alone she went to knock on her friend's door.******

**-******

**Munkustrap flipped his tail with annoyance as his brother left. That tom was going to be the death of him and he knew it. He sauntered down the foot path that had been made by the human workers in the dump and looked down at Nightshade's house wondering if he could muster enough courage to ask her, or at least tell her how he felt. He saw Victoria was there however so he turned and set glummly about another grounds check.******

**-******

**Kallow was angered and annoyed that her hiding place had been discovered. She flattened her ears defensively. "Go away!" she snapped at the brown and whites angrily. "I just want to be left alone!" The queen hugged herself and turned away set on ignoring them until they were gone. Truthfully she was terrified of them, of their leader and tribe, her only experiences with her own species had been negative ones, even with her older sister who seemed to hate her for having been born, blaiming Karrow's mother for "ruining" her family.**

_Nightshade was only slightly upset that her nap had been interrupted. She only hoped that the interruption would give her something better to do with her time. _

_She opened the curtain that made up her door and smiled. "Victoria! What are you doing here? Come on in, sweetie." She stepped aside to let the white queen in. She continued to wonder what the younger queen was doing at her den. Was there trouble? Did she need advice? Sure, they were friends, but they didn't hang out all that much._

_She offered the queen a seat on her old beanbag chair and sat herself amongst a pile of blankets, waiting for Victoria's reply._

_"We're sorry to bother you," Tumble apologized, his ears flattening in shame. "We just thought you wanted to come with us. I promise, no one there will ever hurt you. The Jellicle Junkyard is the safest place in the world for cats." He backed away from the box, gesturing for his brother to follow. "But we'll let you be. Just remember, the Junkyard is always open for you. Old Deuteronomy never turns away good cats."_

**Victoria smiled and held out the fish before taking her seat. "I thought we could have a light lunch together!" she smiled. Then Nightshade asked her why she had come. Victoria's smile wavered only slightly as she tried to force out a polite lie, it didn't work. Instead the truth came racing out of the white queen's mouth like a river. "I don't think Plato will ask me to the ball this year, he's been spending so much time with Tantomile lately and I don't know what to do! I thought we had something special I really, really did!" She said a despairing look in her eyes.******

**-******

**Munkustrap kicked a can spinning and whirling across the yard in his anger. Why hadn't he the courage to talk to Nightshade? Chase off a pollicle? A duel with Macavity? He would gladly to both without so much as breaking a sweat! But talk to the queen of his dreams, Heavyside no! Disgruntled he continued his second bout of rounds for the day.******

**-******

**Karrow was relieved to watch the males go, all of the tension leaving her tightly bound muscles. She still didn't think that they would attack her, but they had been very persistent, she didn't like that. Once she was sure they were gone she slunk out of her hiding place. Her stomach hurt terribly, she knew it would only have been a dull ache if she had left it empty, but she hadn't and now the acid was burning her stomach. She couldn't do it though not after being spotted. Racing across the yard she hid in her hollow mattress once more telling herself she wouldn't come out, not until tomorrow when she thought the toms would have forgotten about her.**

_"Aww, Vicki," Nightshade replied sympathetically. "I understand. I don't know if the tom I like will ask me either. But I honestly don't think you have anything to worry about. Maybe Plato's just nervous and he's been asking Tanto for advice? Cats say she has all the advice, maybe he's just scared." The inverted tabby set the fish aside and gently grabbed the white queen's paw. "I could talk to him for you. Or I could talk to Tanto, see what they've been talking about."_

_"Do you have any more ideas for getting Etcy to go to the Ball with me?" Pounce asked as he walked back to the Yard with his older brother. Moments of silence passed with no response. The youngest tom turned to his brother, confused. "Tumble? Are you here?"_

_Tumble continued to stare off into space until the younger tom shook his arm, waking him up. "Huh? Did you say something?"_

_"I asked if you had any more ideas for getting Etcy to go out with me," Pounce repeated. "Where were you? You were spacing out."_

_"I was just thinking about that queen... She was so beautiful. I wonder why she was so scared of coming with us... Do you think someone hurt her? Or maybe she doesn't get along with her Jellicle relative..." Tumble continued to muse theories about the mysterious queen. Pounce sighed and scampered off to his favorite hiding place which consisted of several old packing boxes. He'd just have to figure out how to get a date by himself._

**Victoria's smile was a winning one, stretching from ear to ear. "Really, you'd do that for me?" she asked her voice almost hallowed with reverence. "Oh thank you!" she cried enveloping the other cat in a tight hug. Pulling away though her expression became very serious and almost stern. "Don't say anything to Plato," she said before adding a "please!"******

**-******

**Munkustrap's mood was improving as he walked, Jenny had woken from a midday nap to give him her daily firm but loving lecture, ever the mother to everyone, even to mice and cockroaches. After that he found a nice quiet place where he practiced what he might say or ask Nightshade wondering what their kittens would look like. Their coats, each tabby were so much alike, yet so different, where his was black upon silver hers was white upon black. She also, he mused had those adorable white patches on her hands a feet. It should be noted that as he thought about such things and practiced his lines it was all while dancing. The male had always found that he did someone of his best thinking while whirling and leaping. After he had tired both body and mind, conference returning to him it was then that he stumbled up a very distant looking Tumblebrutus. "Brutus, what's the matter?" he asked patting the other tom on his back.******

**-*-******

**Inside her hiding place Kallow was pleasantly warm, but still very hungry. She tried doing all the things her mother taught her when she was young to keep her mind off her belly, counting, humming, sleeping. But even a nap was difficult to come by today, having been seen by the two males had opened up a flood gate of old fears. What of the Jellicles found her? Drove her from their lands by force, or attacked her? What if HE found her again, or someone who worked for him? She could never go back to that place of terrors, how the vile tom wielded such dark magics was beyond terrifying. The queen however reminded herself that the two toms didn't seem to want to hurt her. That small fact was enough to relax her into a light sleep.**

_Nightshade smiled and returned the white queen's hug. "I will just speak to Tantomile, then," she promised. "Hey, I could do that right now!"__  
__She smiled at the white queen again before leaving her den and wandering over to where the black-and-white twins made their home. She knocked on the door. Tantomile answered, surprised. "Nightshade? What can we do for you?"__  
__"Well, I notice a lot of things around the Yard and something's been fogging my mind," she said believably. The older queen stepped aside to let the inverted tabby in.__  
__"What is it?" Tanto inquired.__  
__"It's just... I've been noticing that you've been spending a lot of time around Plato," Nightshade observed. "I haven't said anything to Victoria about it, but I was under the impression that Plato and Victoria were mates. Did something happen to that?"__  
__Tanto paused before chuckling. "Oh, no. Plato is still very much in love with Victoria. He's just afraid of messing things up at the Ball. He doesn't want to do something stupid and lose her. That's why he's been talking to me."__  
__"Oh, that makes sense," Nightshade smiled. "Thanks, Tanto!"__  
__With that, she made her way back to her own den, leaving Tanto shaking her head and chuckling.__  
__***__  
__"Oh, hey, Munkustrap," Tumble acknowledged. "I've just been thinking. Pounce and I found-" Remembering how scared the queen was of new cats, Tumble paused. Should he tell the guardian about the lonely queen with a Jellicle half-sister? Or should he give her as much anonymity as he could?__  
__He hesitated before deciding that he didn't know what to do. He gave in and explained everything, about the queen in the box and her Jellicle half-sister, how she almost followed him home but got scared and angry.__  
__"I don't know what to do, Munk," Tumble lamented. "She's beautiful, and I really want to help her..."_

**Munkustrap listened to Tumblebrutus's story, seeing a gravity to the situation his young companion did not. He was supposed to be the guardian of the tribe while Old Deuteronomy was away, protector of the yard, and yet somehow there had been a cat living there, right under his nose and he was caught unawares. He was silent for a long time after the youth had stopped talking. Perhaps, Munk thought berating himself, he had become to focused on his own desires, upon Nightshade to be a proper guardian. Be forced a smile for his friend's sake. "Show me where you saw her last." he instructed. It wasn't that he didn't believe Brutus when he said the female meant them no harm. He was merely concerned with the safety and well being of all those whose lives he was entrusted to care for. "Then go an fetch Alonzo. Don't worry," he added. "We aren't going to do anything to scare her." he smiled reassuringly.******

**-******

**Kallow was still napping lightly as the sun made it's way across the sky. She rolled over and opened her eyes. It was dim in her makeshift home of springs and cushions. She thought momentarily about the two toms from earlier and their curious concern. Her tail twitched, she just needed to be left alone. Curling again she tried to go back to sleep having little else to do.**

_Tumble nodded slowly, planning to show the guardian where the mysterious queen was hiding. "She'll probably hate me for this..." he mumbled to himself. Great way to get a queen's attention - reveal all her secrets to the second-in-command leader._

_He led the silver tabby into the alley and over a mountain of chairs to the boxes he had last seen her in. He nibbled his lower lip nervously as Munk inspected the queen. He chose not to speak, waiting for the guardian to say something himself._

_Nightshade smiled as she met up with Victoria. "Great news! I talked to Tanto and she said that Plato is just worried about messing something up and losing you. You have nothing to worry about - he loves you and only you." She continued to smile, happy for the white queen. She only wished she had a tom of her own to worry like that. But right now she was focusing on Victoria._


End file.
